Regulating device



lan. 3, 1928.

INVENT 0R.

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A T TQRNEM Patented Jan. 3,1928. j

UNITED STATES i,e55,384 PATENT ortica.

CHRISTOPHER A. BONERZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAMMER MTG. CO., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN', A CORPORATION 0F WISCONSIN.

BEGULATING DEVICE.

Application led April 7,

This invention relates to improvements in regulating devices and while not limited thereto is particularly applicable to thermores onsive'regulators.

n practice it is frequently-necessary or advantageous to effect control of an electric circuit or circuits by means of a relatively slow moving actuating element which may in certain cases-exert a relatively weak actuating force. A device of this character is disclosed in the patent to W. S. Hadaway, Jr., No. 1,282,221 of October 22, 1918, and in`such devices considerable diiiculty is encountered in effecting positive and adequate engagement of the movable contact with the stationary contacts, especially when the device is subjected to vibration.

The present invention has among its objects to provide a regulating device includ ing a movable contact element having iinproved means associated therewith for 1 nsurin snap movements thereof inopposite directions and for firmly holding the same in extreme positions underconditions of vibration.

Another object is to provide a regulating device of the aforesaid character wherein the movable contact element has a relatively small range of movement and is adapted to res ond to a relatively weak actuating force.

Agnother object is to provide a regulating device of the aforesaid character having 'improved means associated therewith for effecting relatively fine adjustments of the movable contact element with respect to the actuating element. Y l

Various other objects and advantages 'of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompaying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of various modifications without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

ln the drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a regulating device embodying the invention, the cover ofthe enclosing casing being removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1 together with the cover therefor;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views on lines 3-3 and 4 4 respectively of Fig. 1; and 55 Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one being connected by a spring 13 to a pin .1923. Serial No. 630,658.

of the operating parts shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The regulating device illustrated comprises in general a contact element 1, cooperating stationary contacts 2, 3 and 4 and an operating element 5 for said contact element. The aforesaid parts are mounted upon asupporting plate 6 the contact element 1 being rotatably mounted upon a pin 7 fixed to the upper end of said late and the stationary contacts 2, 3 and 4 eing secured to an insulating base 8 xed to forwardly projecting lugs 9 on the lower end of said plate.

More specifically the contact element 1 includes a supporting member 10 bored to receive pin 7 and having a downwardly extending tail piece 11 and an v'upwardly extending arm 12, the free end of the latter 14 fixed to plate 6. Tail piece 11 has a spring wire 15 secured thereto by bolts 16, said spring wire being insulated from said tail piece and projecting downwardly therebeyond. A contact support 17 is fixed to the lower end of wire 15 and a circular contact 18 is mounted on said support to rotate axially with respect r'to said wire.

Stationary contacts 3 and 4 are arranged on opposite sides of contact 18 while contact 2 is arranged intermediate the former contacts and to the rear thereof. Contacts 3 and 4 are spaced to permit a relatively small movement of contact 18 therebetween and each is provided with a su porting bracket 19, xed to base 8 by a terminal bolt 20. Contact 2 comprises a vertically arranged plate fixed to base 8 by a terminal bolt 21 the forward edge of said plate being provided with a knife edge for engaging contact 18.

Spring wire 15 is flexed to hold contact 18 against the knife edge of contact 2 and it is thus apparent that contact 18 always tends to move towards the left if the axis 100 thereof is to the left of said knife ed e and towards the ri ht if thelaxis thereo Iis to the right of said knife edge. Furthermore it is apparent that upon movement of supporting member 10. in opposite directions 105 contact 2 will restrain contact 18 against movement therewith, pending storage of energy in spring wire 15 to a degree suicient to overcome such restraining action, whereupon contact 18 moves from one ex- 110 treme position to the other with a snap action. It should also be noted that upon subjection of the aforedescribed switch mechanism to vibration the movable Contact will always remain in one or the other of its extreme positions and vibration will only tend to overcome the restraining action of contact 2 to increase the sensitiveness of the switch.

The operating element 5 'comprises a spring tube of the Bourdon type, said tube being secured to a supporting member 22 by a bracket 23. Member 22 is arranged on the front face of the plate 6 and the same is provided with horizontal slots for receiving screws 24, said screws passing through vertical slots in plate 6 and being threaded into a clamping member 25 located on the rear of said plate. Thus by loosening screws 24 the spring tube 5 can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally with respect to the pivot point of contact element 1. The outer end of spring tube 5 is sealed by a cap member 26 and the inner end thereof is connected to a thermometer bulb 27 by a capillary tube 28. Spring tube 5 and the parts connected thereto are filled with an eXpansible iiuid such as mercury and, as is understood, the outer end of tube 5 moves in a clockwise direction upon an increase in temperature and in counterclockwise direction upon a decrease in temperature. Cap member 26 of spring tube 25 has a forwardly projecting pin 29 fixed thereto,'said pin being provided with a roller 30 to engage a bracket 31 rotatably mounted on pin 7.

Bracket 31 comprises a sheet metal stamping `having spaced bearing portions 32 to receive supportin member 10 therebetween and a downward y projecting arm 33 to be engaged by roller 30. Arm 33 is provided with an /angular projection 34 extending downwardly and towards the right as shown in Fi 5 which is arranged to abut the inner en of screw 35 threaded into a lug 36 on supporting member 10. Screw 35 is provided with a knurled head 37 on the outer end thereof and a spring clip 38 fixed to member 10 `serves to engage said head to restrain said screw against rotation.

From the foregoing it is apparent that spring 13 tends to normally hold contact 18 in engagement with contact 3 and upon a given temperature rise the spring tube 5 serves to effect snap movement of contact 18 into engagement with contact 4 against the action of said spring. Further it will be observed that adjustment of screw 35 varies the angle between arm 33 and bracket 10 to vary temperature setting of the device. It should also be noted that upon a large decrease in temperature roller 30 moves out of engagement with arm 33 to thereby prevent undue strain on the switch parts and that spring wire 15 permits considerable comodate the knurled head 37 and an opening having a window 39 fixed therein to permit inspection of the contacts. Also as best shown in Fig. 2 base 40 and cover 41 are formed to provide an opening 44 in the lower side thereof for the reception of the terminal wires.

What I-claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. In a thermo-responsive regulating device in combination a movable contact, actuating means therefor `including a resilient element upon which said contact is mounted and a part co-operating with said contact to insure snap movements thereof in opposite directions, said part being disposed at an intermediate point in the normal path of movement of said contact to necessitate movement of said contact thereabout in either direction and prior storage of energy in said resilient element.

2. In a thermo-responsive regulating device in combination, a movable contact, actuating means therefor including an elongated spring wire upon which said Contact is mounted, and a part lying at an intermediate point in the normal path of movement of said contact to necessitate storage of energy in said spring wire to a degree suiiicient to move said Contact across said part in either direction with a snap action.

3. In a thermo-responsive regulating device in combination spaced stationary contacts, a movable contact therebetween, an elongated spring wire for supporting said movable contact and for moving the same in opposite directions and a part intermediate said stationary contacts and disposed in` the normal path of said movable contact to effect snap action of the latter-when moved across the same in either direction by said spring.

4. In a regulating device in combination a spring wire supported adjacent one end thereof. a contact diskv rotatably mounted on said wire adjacent the free end of the latter to be moved in opposite directions through the medium of said wire and a part lying in the normal path of said contact disk and having a knife edge across which said contact disk is arranged to roll whereby said-.contact disk` when moved past said part through the medium of said spring is insured 'a snap action.

5. In a regulating device incombination,

a spring wire supported adjacent one end thereof, a contact disk rotatably mounted on said wire adjacent the free end of the latter, a plurality of stationary contacts, certain being arranged on opposite sides of said contact disk to limit movement thereof in opposite directions and another being arranged intermediate ,said former contacts and in the normal path of said contact disk said latter stationary contact having a knife edge across which said contact disk is arranged to roll whereby said disk when moved past said part through the medium of said spring'wire, is insured a snap action.

6. In a regulating device in combination a pivoted contact element including an elongated spring wire having a contact rotatably mounted thereon, stationary contacts located on opposite sides of said former contact, a stationary contact located intermediate said latter contacts and adapted to obstruct movement of said former contact in opposite directions pending storage of energy in said spring wire to a degree suilicient to move said contact from' one eXtreme position to the other with a snap action.

7. In a regulating device in combination a pivoted contact element including an elongated spring wire having a contact rotatably mounted on the free end thereof, a plurality of stationary contacts certain being arranged to limit movement of said former contact in opposite directions and another being arranged to act on said contact to obstruct movements thereof in opposite directions pending storage of energy in said spring wire,a spring biasing said contact element in one direction and an actuating element for moving said contact element in an opposite direction.

8. In a regulating device in combination a pivoted contact element including an elongated spring wire having a contact rotatably mounted on the free end thereof, a plurality of stationary contacts certain being arranged to limit movement of said former contact in opposite directions and another being arranged to act on said conrtact to obstruct movements thereof in opposite directions pending storage of energy in said spring wire, a spring biasing said contact element in one direction and an actuating element for moving said contact element in an opposite direction, said actuating element being movable independently of said contact element in one direction.

9. In a regulating device in combination a pivoted contact elementmovable in opposite directions between given extreme positions, a spring biasing said element in one direction an actuating element for moving the same in an opposite direction, operative connections between said contact element and said actuating element including a pivoted member arranged coaXially with respect to said contact element and means for varying the angular position of said pivoted member with respect to said contact element.

10. In a circuit controlling device, in combination, a stationary contact, a movable contact, actuating means for said movable contact, resilient supporting and biasing means interposed between said actuating means and said movable contact, and a rigid part co-operating with said movable contact, to insure snap movements thereof in opposite directions into and out of engagement withI said stationary contact, said part being disposed at an intermediate point in the normal path of said movable contact to cause angular deflection of the latter with respect to said actuating means upon movement of said actuating means in either direction with resultant storage of energy in said biasing means and release of said mov able contact.

1l. In a circuit controlling device, in combination, a stationary contact, Aa pivoted member having an element biased in a given relation thereto and which may be ieXed with respect thereto, a movable contai'ct carried by said element, and a part co-operating with said contact to insure snap movements thereof in opposite directions into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said part being disposed at an intermediate point in the normal path of said movable contact to cause deflection of said contact uponV movement of said actuating means in opposite directions respectively, with consequent storage of energy in said iexible element and release of said movable contact.

l2. In a circuit controller, in combination a movable contact, supporting and actuating means for said contact providing for movement of said actuating means and said contact both jointly-and relatively to each other and comprising a spring in which energy is stored by such relative movement, a part located in the path ofsaid contact, said contact being arranged for engagement with and deflection by said part for effecting the aforementioned energy storing relative movement of said actuating means and said contact, said contact when so deflected being freed from said part for continued movement with a snap action, and a stationary contact to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact only when so freed for snap action. v

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHRISTOPHER A. BONERZ. 

